Partners’ Forum 2014 Koshi Basin Programme (KBP) - Phase I

Background

Climate and other environmental and socioeconomic changes pose immense challenges to water resources management and disaster risk reduction in the Koshi River basin, which is shared by three countries, namely China, Nepal and India. This is due to its transboundary nature and high spatial and temporal variation of resource endowment, and upstream-downstream linkages (high degree of interrelationship among water uses and users). To improve knowledge of the basin and foster water-centric regional cooperation, ICIMOD and its partners jointly developed the Koshi Basin Programme – Phase I (KBP-I) during 2010--2012. The KBP-I (2013--2016) was launched in 2013 with funding support from the Australian government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), through its Sustainable Development Investment Portfolio (SDIP).

During the first one and half year of implementation, the KBP team organized national consultation meetings in India and China, a national partners’ forum in India, and made field visits to learn about local water management issues in all three countries that share the Koshi basin. The team also interacted with various government line agencies and development partners, contributed to national and international workshops and conferences, collected baseline information and formalized twelve partnership arrangements in the three countries. These activities helped KBP to roll out a number of research initiatives. Some of these researches have yielded early outputs while the others are in their formative stages.

The partners’ forum 2014 has been organized to discuss the progress made so far and make future plans, take stock of science outcomes, revisit impact pathway, and more importantly, to strengthen the partnership network.

Objectives

To discuss the outcomes of research on KPB and their implications for climate-water-agriculture nexus, water-related disaster reduction, and livelihood options for adapting to water stress situation;

To discuss the approach and methods of KBP research on local water management, freshwater ecosystem service, disaster risk reduction and water-centric cooperation in the basin; and

To provide a platform for KBP partners to share progress and findings regarding river basin management, and to explore ways to strengthen the collaborative efforts.

Expected outcomes

Better understanding of water management issues, disaster risk reduction, adaptation, livelihood promotion and ecosystem services in the Koshi River basin;

Concrete plans for research and knowledge sharing and identification of follow-up actions for future; and

Continued strengthening of knowledge among the partners and key stakeholders of the Koshi Basin Programme.